ABOUT THE NEW VISIONS AWARD
Established in 2012, the New Visions Award is given biennially to an unpublished writer of color or Native/Indigenous writer for a middle grade or young adult manuscript. Novel and graphic novel manuscripts may be FICTION, NARRATIVE NON-FICTION, or WORKS IN VERSE for middle grade readers ages 8 to 12 and young adult readers ages 12 to 18. Manuscripts should address the needs of children and teens of color or Indigenous children and teens by providing stories with which they can identify and relate, and which promote a greater understanding of one another. Themes relating to different family structures, gender identity, LGBTQ+ communities, or disabilities are also of interest.
New Visions Award winners receive a standard publication contract, including Lee & Low Books’s basic royalties and an advance in the amount of $15,000.
Winners are also given close publishing mentorship as they work to develop their book for publication. Nurturing manuscripts takes time, and Lee & Low’s commitment to this contest represents over a decade of dedication. We are in this for the long haul! We ask for the same commitment and courtesy from applicants. Please make sure you are able to abide by the eligibility and manuscript submission guidelines before entering.
MOST RECENT RESULTS
Connie Chang and J.M. Blakemore have won the 2024 New Visions Award. Their middle-grade manuscript Don’t Feed the Hungry Ghosts follows Imo and her recently deceased best friend Cormy, who has come back to the plane of the living during the Hungry Ghost Festival. Together they must feed Cormy enough to remember why he came before they are consumed by a malevolent poop ghost.
Thank you to all of those who entered the contest, and good luck to these up-and-coming writers!
PAST WINNERS & HONORS
Axie Oh (Rebel Seoul)
Luisana Duarte Armendáriz (Julieta and the Diamond Enigma; also available in Spanish)
Mary Louise Sanchez (The Wind Called My Name)
Michelle Coles (Black Was the Ink)
Monica Zepeda (The Boys of the Beast)
Olivia Abtahi (Twin Flames)
Supriya Kelkar (Ahimsa)
Tracy Occomy Crowder (Montgomery and the Case of the Golden Key)
Valynne Maetani (Ink and Ashes)
Yamile Saied Méndez (On These Magic Shores; also available in Spanish)
